Big South Announces Indoor T&F Weekly Awards

Feb 03

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) - UNC Asheville's Milian Ristic has been named the Big South Conference Choice Hotels Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week, while Erica Peake of Coastal Carolina earned the Big South Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week. Meanwhile, Liberty's Ryan Smith and Mia Aghaji were tabbed the Men's and Women's Indoor Field Athletes of the week, respectively, the League announced today.

Ristic, a sophomore from Belgrade, Serbia, posted the second-fastest 60-meter hurdles time in Big South history as he broke the tape in 8.0 at the Niswonger Invitational over the weekend. He finished first overall in the event.

Peake, a junior from Spartanburg, S.C., took home a first-place finish and garnered a second-place finish at the Clemson Invitational last weekend. She got her meet started with a second-place finish in the 200 meters with a Conference-leading time of 24.18. She then ran the lead-off leg of the 4x400 that finished first with a time of 3:49.85, narrowly missing the Coastal record of 3:45.10.

Smith, a red-shirt junior from Winder, Ga., took home a pair of top finishes at the Liberty Invitational over the weekend. He got things going with a throw of 58' 4.75" to claim the open shot put and followed with a mark of 59' 8.50" to grab the weight throw title. Both marks rank No. 1 in the Big South in the respective events.

Aghaji, a red-shirt senior from Chester, Va., posted a pair of top finishes at the Liberty Invitational last weekend. In her first event of the meet, she posted a career-best jump of 5' 7.0" to become the first Lady Flame since 2007 to clear the height. She then became only the second Lady Flame to jump 40 feet indoors in the triple as she recorded a personal record leap of 40' 2.0". Her mark in the triple jump is currently ranked No. 1 in the Big South.

Men's Track Honorable Mentions:Chris Schulist, Campbell - Took first in the mile at the Liberty Invitational with a time of 4:18.88.Rozzie Johnson, Charleston Southern - Finished first in the 60-meter event at the Niswonger Invitational with a time of 6.76.Vincent Wyatt, Radford - Won the 60-meters at the Liberty Invitational with a time of 8.16.

Women's Track Honorable Mentions:Manika Gamble, High Point - Placed second in the 200 meters with a time of 25:43 and turned in a third-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.66.Ivana Hughes, Gardner-Webb - Posted a time of 57.30 to place second in the 400 meters at the Niswonger Invitational.Courntney Pannell, Radford - Won the 60-meter hurdles at the Liberty Invitational with a time of 8.76.

Men's Field Honorable Mentions:Braxton Drummond, Charleston Southern - Placed second in the long jump at the Niswonger Invitational with a mark of 24' 1.50".Justin Smith, Radford - Placed second in the shot put with a throw of 53' 3.75" at the Liberty Invitational.Dexter Young, Winthrop - Turned in a second-place jump of 6' 10.25" at the Liberty Invitational.

Women's Field Honorable Mentions:Mary Lawrence, Coastal Carolina - Tied with two others for second place after clearing 3.78 meters (12-04.75), setting a new school record at the Clemson Invitational.Aimee Veatch, Radford - Took first in the weight throw at Liberty with a throw of 59' 7.50".